St Helen's Bishopsgate is an
Anglican
Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of th ...
church in London. It is located in Great St Helen's, off
Bishopsgate
Bishopsgate was one of the eastern gates in London's former defensive wall. The gate gave its name to the Bishopsgate Ward of the City of London. The ward is traditionally divided into ''Bishopsgate Within'', inside the line wall, and ''Bishop ...
.
It is the largest surviving
parish church
A parish church (or parochial church) in Christianity is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish. In many parts of the world, especially in rural areas, the parish church may play a significant role in community activities, ...
in the
City of London
The City of London is a city, ceremonial county and local government district that contains the historic centre and constitutes, alongside Canary Wharf, the primary central business district (CBD) of London. It constituted most of London fr ...
. Several notable figures are buried there, and it contains more monuments than any other church in
Greater London
Greater may refer to:
*Greatness, the state of being great
*Greater than, in inequality (mathematics), inequality
*Greater (film), ''Greater'' (film), a 2016 American film
*Greater (flamingo), the oldest flamingo on record
*Greater (song), "Greate ...
except
Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an historic, mainly Gothic church in the City of Westminster, London, England, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is one of the United ...
, hence it is sometimes referred to as the "Westminster Abbey of the City". It was the parish church of
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...
when he lived in the area in the 1590s. It was one of only a few churches in the City of London to survive both the
Great Fire of 1666 and
the Blitz
The Blitz was a German bombing campaign against the United Kingdom in 1940 and 1941, during the Second World War. The term was first used by the British press and originated from the term , the German word meaning 'lightning war'.
The Germa ...
.
Owing to parish consolidation over the years, the parish is now named "St Helen's Bishopsgate with St Andrew Undershaft and St Ethelburga Bishopsgate and St Martin Outwich and St Mary Axe". The
Worshipful Company of Merchant Taylors
]
The Worshipful Company of Merchant Taylors is one of the 110 Livery company, livery companies of the City of London.
The Company, originally known as the ''Guild and Fraternity of St John the Baptist in the City of London'', was founded prio ...
are the patrons of the benefice.
Today, it is home to a large congregation in the
Conservative evangelicalism in the United Kingdom, conservative evangelical tradition with a ministry to city workers, families, students and young professionals. Three English-speaking (and one Mandarin-speaking)
church services
A church service (or a service of worship) is a formalized period of Christian communal worship, often held in a church building. It often but not exclusively occurs on Sunday, or Saturday in the case of those churches practicing seventh-day Sa ...
take place each Sunday, as well as a number of midweek talks and small group
Bible studies.
The nearby churches
St Andrew Undershaft and
St Peter upon Cornhill
St Peter upon Cornhill is an Anglican church on the corner of Cornhill and Gracechurch Street in the City of London of medieval, or possibly Roman origin. It was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666 and rebuilt to the designs of Sir ...
are also administered by St Helen's.
History
Although it is thought that a Roman or a Saxon building might have stood on the site, the first mentions of the
parish church
A parish church (or parochial church) in Christianity is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish. In many parts of the world, especially in rural areas, the parish church may play a significant role in community activities, ...
of St Helen date back to the mid-12th century. In 1210, the Dean and chapter of St. Paul's gave William, son of William Goldsmith, permission to establish a priory of
Benedictine
, image = Medalla San Benito.PNG
, caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal
, abbreviation = OSB
, formation =
, motto = (English: 'Pray and Work')
, foun ...
nuns; and a nunnery was built alongside the existing church. The new church was wider than the parish church, and longer too, so the parish church was lengthened to match. The masonry of the outer walls as it currently stands was in place by 1300.
[ The church was divided in two by a partition running from east to west, the northern half serving the nuns and the southern the parishioners. In 1480, four great arches were installed between the nun's choir and the parishioner's nave, and a wooden screen was put in place to separate the two. An additional screen was placed in the parish church to separate the ]chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar, including the choir and the sanctuary (sometimes called the presbytery), at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building. It may terminate in an apse.
Ove ...
in the east end of the church, where the altar was located, from the nave
The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...
.
A crypt extended north from the church under the hall. Next to the church, the priory had extensive monastic buildings; they were later acquired and used by the Worshipful Company of Leathersellers
The Worshipful Company of Leathersellers is one of the Livery company, livery companies of the City of London. The organisation originates from the latter part of the fourteenth century and received its Royal Charter in 1444, and is therefore t ...
until their demolition in 1799. The church is the only surviving building from a nunnery in the City of London.
When the priory was dissolved in 1538, the nunnery was incorporated in the parish church and the screen
Screen or Screens may refer to:
Arts
* Screen printing (also called ''silkscreening''), a method of printing
* Big screen, a nickname associated with the motion picture industry
* Split screen (filmmaking), a film composition paradigm in which mul ...
separating it from the rest of the church was removed. This gave the church its unusual construction consisting of two naves. In the following years, the building was rearranged according the principles of the Reformation
The Reformation (alternatively named the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation) was a major movement within Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the Catholic Church and in ...
, which put the emphasis on the preaching of the Word and on the full and active participation of the congregation. A Jacobean pulpit
A pulpit is a raised stand for preachers in a Christian church. The origin of the word is the Latin ''pulpitum'' (platform or staging). The traditional pulpit is raised well above the surrounding floor for audibility and visibility, access ...
was erected in 1615 in a central position on the south wall, accompanied by an ornamental tester in 1640. Box pews
A box pew is a type of church pew that is encased in panelling and was prevalent in England and other Protestant countries from the 16th to early 19th centuries.
History in England
Before the rise of Protestantism, seating was not customary in chu ...
were installed and arranged around the pulpit.
In the 17th century, extensive repairs were carried out, most notably resulting in the addition of two Classical wooden doorcases.[ By the end of the century, a bell turret was also erected. St Helen's was one of only a few City of London churches to survive the ]Great Fire of London
The Great Fire of London was a major conflagration that swept through central London from Sunday 2 September to Thursday 6 September 1666, gutting the medieval City of London inside the old Roman city wall, while also extending past the ...
of 1666.
A new organ and organ loft were installed on the west end of the church in 1742, designed by Thomas Griffin. In 1874 the parish was united with that of St Martin Outwich when the latter's church was demolished, and the first incumbent of the new parish was John Bathurst Deane
John Bathurst Deane (27 August 1797 – 12 July 1887) was a South African-born English clergyman, schoolmaster, antiquary, and author.
Early life and education
Born at the Cape of Good Hope in 1797, Deane was the second son of Captain Charles M ...
.
During the Victorian era
In the history of the United Kingdom and the British Empire, the Victorian era was the period of Queen Victoria's reign, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. The era followed the Georgian period and preceded the Edwardia ...
, two significant restorations were carried out. The first, in 1865, provided the two stone tracery
Tracery is an architecture, architectural device by which windows (or screens, panels, and vaults) are divided into sections of various proportions by stone ''bars'' or ''ribs'' of Molding (decorative), moulding. Most commonly, it refers to the s ...
windows on the east end of the church and stained glass throughout the building. The second, more significant, Victorian restoration
The Victorian restoration was the widespread and extensive refurbishment and rebuilding of Church of England churches and cathedrals that took place in England and Wales during the 19th-century reign of Queen Victoria. It was not the same proce ...
was carried out from 1891 to 1893 by John Loughborough Pearson
John Loughborough Pearson (5 July 1817 – 11 December 1897) was a British Gothic Revival architect renowned for his work on churches and cathedrals. Pearson revived and practised largely the art of vaulting, and acquired in it a proficiency ...
under supervision of the then rector, John Alfred Lumb Airey. This restoration was inspired by the Oxford movement
The Oxford Movement was a movement of high church members of the Church of England which began in the 1830s and eventually developed into Anglo-Catholicism. The movement, whose original devotees were mostly associated with the University of O ...
, which advocated moving the centre of importance in the church from preaching
A sermon is a religious discourse or oration by a preacher, usually a member of clergy. Sermons address a scriptural, theological, or moral topic, usually expounding on a type of belief, law, or behavior within both past and present contexts. El ...
to the sacrament
A sacrament is a Christianity, Christian Rite (Christianity), rite that is recognized as being particularly important and significant. There are various views on the existence and meaning of such rites. Many Christians consider the sacraments ...
of the Eucharist
The Eucharist (; from Greek , , ), also known as Holy Communion and the Lord's Supper, is a Christian rite that is considered a sacrament in most churches, and as an ordinance in others. According to the New Testament, the rite was instit ...
. This new arrangement resulted in a new floor with levels gradually ascending from the west to a new high altar
An altar is a table or platform for the presentation of religious offerings, for sacrifices, or for other ritualistic purposes. Altars are found at shrines, temples, churches, and other places of worship. They are used particularly in paga ...
in the east, completed by an ornated reredos
A reredos ( , , ) is a large altarpiece, a screen, or decoration placed behind the altar in a church. It often includes religious images.
The term ''reredos'' may also be used for similar structures, if elaborate, in secular architecture, for ex ...
and marble pavement, once again enclosed in a chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar, including the choir and the sanctuary (sometimes called the presbytery), at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building. It may terminate in an apse.
Ove ...
by a neo-Gothic
Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic, neo-Gothic, or Gothick) is an architectural movement that began in the late 1740s in England. The movement gained momentum and expanded in the first half of the 19th century, as increasingly ...
screen
Screen or Screens may refer to:
Arts
* Screen printing (also called ''silkscreening''), a method of printing
* Big screen, a nickname associated with the motion picture industry
* Split screen (filmmaking), a film composition paradigm in which mul ...
. The organ was expanded and moved to the south transept, where two additional altars were also placed in two side chapels, the Chapel of the Holy Ghost and the Chapel of our Lady. The church was reopened on St John the Baptist's Day in 1893 by the Bishop of London
A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution.
In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...
, Frederick Temple
Frederick Temple (30 November 1821 – 23 December 1902) was an English academic, teacher and churchman, who served as Bishop of Exeter (1869–1885), Bishop of London (1885–1896) and Archbishop of Canterbury (1896–1902).
Early life
T ...
.
As the church had been used as a burial ground for centuries, it is thought that over a 1000 bodies had been interred in vaults under the floor by this period. The excavation of the floor at the start of the 1891 restoration caused some of the burials to emerge from the vaults: all work had to stop for one year until all human remains were translated to Ilford Cemetery, and a concrete slab was put in place between the floor and the remains of the vault.
The church was left undamaged by the Blitz
The Blitz was a German bombing campaign against the United Kingdom in 1940 and 1941, during the Second World War. The term was first used by the British press and originated from the term , the German word meaning 'lightning war'.
The Germa ...
during World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
and it was designated a Grade I-listed building
In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...
on 4 January 1950.
When Dick Lucas became rector in 1961, St Helen's grew from a small congregation of a few individuals to a large thriving church within the conservative evangelical
Evangelicalism (), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide interdenominational movement within Protestant Christianity that affirms the centrality of being " born again", in which an individual exper ...
tradition
A tradition is a belief or behavior (folk custom) passed down within a group or society with symbolic meaning or special significance with origins in the past. A component of cultural expressions and folklore, common examples include holidays or ...
of the Church of England
The Church of England (C of E) is the established Christian church in England and the mother church of the international Anglican Communion. It traces its history to the Christian church recorded as existing in the Roman province of Britain ...
, with a reputation for strong Bible teaching and preaching. As the City of London
The City of London is a city, ceremonial county and local government district that contains the historic centre and constitutes, alongside Canary Wharf, the primary central business district (CBD) of London. It constituted most of London fr ...
had grown to become a major business and Financial centre
A financial centre ( BE), financial center ( AE), or financial hub, is a location with a concentration of participants in banking, asset management, insurance or financial markets with venues and supporting services for these activities to ta ...
, the church started providing an active midweek ministry to City workers. Next to the lunchtime midweek talks for workers, the three Sunday services are now attended by a diverse range of people including students, young workers, families and internationals.
In 1992
File:1992 Events Collage V1.png, From left, clockwise: 1992 Los Angeles riots, Riots break out across Los Angeles, California after the Police brutality, police beating of Rodney King; El Al Flight 1862 crashes into a residential apartment buildi ...
and 1993
File:1993 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Oslo I Accord is signed in an attempt to resolve the Israeli–Palestinian conflict; The Russian White House is shelled during the 1993 Russian constitutional crisis; Czechoslovakia is peace ...
, the church was badly damaged by two IRA
Ira or IRA may refer to:
*Ira (name), a Hebrew, Sanskrit, Russian or Finnish language personal name
*Ira (surname), a rare Estonian and some other language family name
*Iran, UNDP code IRA
Law
*Indian Reorganization Act of 1934, US, on status of ...
bombs that were set off nearby. A full restoration was carried out by architect Quinlan Terry
John Quinlan Terry Order of the British Empire, CBE (born 24 July 1937) is a British architect. He was educated at Bryanston School and the Architectural Association School of Architecture. He was a pupil of architect Raymond Erith, with whom ...
, an enthusiast of Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1714 and 1830. It is named after the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I, George II, Georg ...
, and designed along Reformation
The Reformation (alternatively named the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation) was a major movement within Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the Catholic Church and in ...
lines. The floor was evened out and returned to its original level, which allowed for the installation of underfloor heating, a sound reinforcement system and a baptistry in front of the pulpit. A new gallery was erected on the west end to provide additional seating and house the organ, now returned to its original position. All the windows were glazed in clear glass. The Victorian screen
Screen or Screens may refer to:
Arts
* Screen printing (also called ''silkscreening''), a method of printing
* Big screen, a nickname associated with the motion picture industry
* Split screen (filmmaking), a film composition paradigm in which mul ...
was rotated by 90 degrees across the south transept, opening up the former chancel. A new door was opened in the south transept. All altars were removed, giving space to a restored Georgian communion table
Communion table or Lord's table are terms used by many Protestant churches—particularly from Reformed, Baptist and low church Anglican and Methodist bodies—for the table used for preparation of Holy Communion (a sacrament also called the '' ...
.
The principles of this restoration sought to arrange the building once again around the preaching
A sermon is a religious discourse or oration by a preacher, usually a member of clergy. Sermons address a scriptural, theological, or moral topic, usually expounding on a type of belief, law, or behavior within both past and present contexts. El ...
of the Word and strip it down of the ritualistic
A ritual is a sequence of activities involving gestures, words, actions, or objects, performed according to a set sequence. Rituals may be prescribed by the traditions of a community, including a religious community. Rituals are characterized, ...
elements added in Victorian times, following the needs of the large Evangelical
Evangelicalism (), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide Interdenominationalism, interdenominational movement within Protestantism, Protestant Christianity that affirms the centrality of being "bor ...
congregation. This new arrangement allowed the seating capacity to be increased from 500 to a 1000, all in a large open space with a clear view on the pulpit
A pulpit is a raised stand for preachers in a Christian church. The origin of the word is the Latin ''pulpitum'' (platform or staging). The traditional pulpit is raised well above the surrounding floor for audibility and visibility, access ...
and lectern
A lectern is a reading desk with a slanted top, on which documents or books are placed as support for reading aloud, as in a scripture reading, lecture, or sermon. A lectern is usually attached to a stand or affixed to some other form of support. ...
.
Activities
The church holds three English-speaking services each Sunday, one at 10:30 am, another at 4:00 pm, and a 6:00 pm evening service. The Sunday afternoon and evening services are followed by an informal meal and opportunities to socialise. A Mandarin
Mandarin or The Mandarin may refer to:
Language
* Mandarin Chinese, branch of Chinese originally spoken in northern parts of the country
** Standard Chinese or Modern Standard Mandarin, the official language of China
** Taiwanese Mandarin, Stand ...
-speaking service takes place each Sunday at 2:00 pm.
A number of lunchtime talks and meetings take place during the working week, providing an opportunity for people who work in the City of London
The City of London is a city, ceremonial county and local government district that contains the historic centre and constitutes, alongside Canary Wharf, the primary central business district (CBD) of London. It constituted most of London fr ...
to hear the Christian message and be encouraged to live as Christians at works.
There are also numerous small groups which meet at the church during the week. These include the "Read, Mark, Learn" (RML) groups which either study the Gospel of Mark
The Gospel of Mark), or simply Mark (which is also its most common form of abbreviation). is the second of the four canonical gospels and of the three synoptic Gospels. It tells of the ministry of Jesus from his baptism by John the Baptist to h ...
, the Gospel of John
The Gospel of John ( grc, Εὐαγγέλιον κατὰ Ἰωάννην, translit=Euangélion katà Iōánnēn) is the fourth of the four canonical gospels. It contains a highly schematic account of the ministry of Jesus, with seven "sig ...
, the Epistle to the Romans
The Epistle to the Romans is the sixth book in the New Testament, and the longest of the thirteen Pauline epistles. Biblical scholars agree that it was composed by Paul the Apostle to explain that salvation is offered through the gospel of J ...
or a Bible
The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts of a ...
overview over the course of a year, and the Central Focus group which studies a whole variety of topics and books from the Bible. The church also runs the Christianity Explored course regularly.
Some activities take place in the nearby church of St Peter upon Cornhill
St Peter upon Cornhill is an Anglican church on the corner of Cornhill and Gracechurch Street in the City of London of medieval, or possibly Roman origin. It was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666 and rebuilt to the designs of Sir ...
and the church of St Andrew Undershaft, which are also administered by St Helen's.
Building
The present building is the result of a substantial restoration in 1993-1995 by architect Quinlan Terry
John Quinlan Terry Order of the British Empire, CBE (born 24 July 1937) is a British architect. He was educated at Bryanston School and the Architectural Association School of Architecture. He was a pupil of architect Raymond Erith, with whom ...
, after consistent damages were incurred by two IRA
Ira or IRA may refer to:
*Ira (name), a Hebrew, Sanskrit, Russian or Finnish language personal name
*Ira (surname), a rare Estonian and some other language family name
*Iran, UNDP code IRA
Law
*Indian Reorganization Act of 1934, US, on status of ...
bombs in 1992 and 1993.
The restoration resulted in a bright, large, flexible open-space interior that can be used in different configurations. It is equipped with modern lighting, underfloor heating, and public address system
A public address system (or PA system) is an electronic system comprising microphones, amplifiers, loudspeakers, and related equipment. It increases the apparent volume (loudness) of a human voice, musical instrument, or other acoustic sound sou ...
. Although some of the monuments were lost due to the bombings, the majority of them survived and were preserved in the building.
File:St Helen's Bishopsgate interior - 3.jpg
File:St Helen's Bishopsgate interior - 4.jpg
Memorials
# North wall of the nuns' choir, near the west end, Alderman John Robinson, 1599. An Elizabethan group of kneeling figures; the deceased and his wife with nine sons and seven daughters.
# In the north-east corner, at the east end of the nuns' choir, altar tomb of Sir Thomas Gresham
Sir Thomas Gresham the Elder (; c. 151921 November 1579), was an English merchant and financier who acted on behalf of King Edward VI (1547–1553) and Edward's half-sisters, queens Mary I (1553–1558) and Elizabeth I (1558–1603). In 1565 G ...
, 1579. Founder of the Royal Exchange and the Gresham Lectures. Before 1995, this space was known as the Gresham Memorial Chapel
# In the south transept, Sir Julius Caesar Adelmare, 1636. Judge of the Court of Admiralty. Altar tomb with Latin epitaph in the form of a deed to which is affixed the broad seal of the deceased. Before 1995, this was located side by side the Gresham memorial.
# In the south-east corner of the Gresham Memorial Chapel, Sir Andrew Judd 1558. Lord Mayor, citizen and skinner. Founder of Tonbridge School
(God Giveth the Increase)
, established =
, closed =
, type = Public schoolIndependent day and boarding
, religion =
, president =
, head_label ...
.
# Under the chancel arch, north of where the high altar once stood, Sir William Pickering, 1574. Ambassador in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is sometimes referred to as the "Virgin Queen".
El ...
. Altar tomb with recumbent figure surmounted by a lofty canopy.
# Under the chancel arch, south where the high altar once stood, Sir John Crosby 1476 founder of Crosby Hall, and Agnes his wife. Altar tomb with recumbent figures.
# In the south transept, Sir John Oteswich and his wife. Formerly in the church of St Martin Outwich.
# Against the south wall of the church, sightly to the west of the south entrance, Sir John Spencer and his wife, 1609. Altar tomb under a canopy with recumbent figures, and a third kneeling figure.
File:St Helen, Great St Helens, London EC3 - Tomb chest - geograph.org.uk - 1089608.jpg , Sir Thomas Gresham
Sir Thomas Gresham the Elder (; c. 151921 November 1579), was an English merchant and financier who acted on behalf of King Edward VI (1547–1553) and Edward's half-sisters, queens Mary I (1553–1558) and Elizabeth I (1558–1603). In 1565 G ...
memorial.
File:St Helen's Bishopsgate interior - 2.jpg , Sir Julius Caesar Adelmare memorial.
File:Figures on the John Spencer Memorial.jpg , Sir John Spencer memorial
File:St Helen's Bishopsgate interior - 5.jpg , Victorian Reredos
A reredos ( , , ) is a large altarpiece, a screen, or decoration placed behind the altar in a church. It often includes religious images.
The term ''reredos'' may also be used for similar structures, if elaborate, in secular architecture, for ex ...
Organ
The organ dates from 1742 when an annuity organ by Thomas Griffin was installed. It has undergone several restorations since by builders such as George Pike England
George Pike England (ca.1765 – February 1815) was an English organ builder who was among the most prominent in England during the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
Life
He was the son of organ builder George England and Mary Blasdale. He ...
in 1810, J. C. Bishop and Son in 1910 and 1923, Hill, Norman and Beard
William Hill & Son & Norman & Beard Limited (commonly known as Hill, Norman and Beard) were a major pipe organ manufacturer originally based in Norfolk.
History
They were founded in 1916 by the merger of Norman and Beard and William Hill & Sons ...
in 1929 and 1957 and Martin Goetze & Dominic Gwynn in 1996. A specification of the organ can be found on th
National Pipe Organ Register
The organ is of historic significance and has been awarded a Grade II* listing by the British Institute of Organ Studies
The British Institute of Organ Studies (BIOS) is a British organisation and registered charity which aims to promote study and appreciation of all aspects of the pipe organ. Further, it acts as a lobbying body to raise awareness of organ issue ...
.
Organists
*Thomas Griffin 1744–1771
*George Griffin 1771–1809
*William Henry Cutler 1809–1819
* George Warne 1819–1820
*Joseph Nightingale 1820–1842/7?
* William Richard Bexfield 1848–1853
*Mr Deane 1854
*Miss A. Barton 1867
*Richard Simpkin 1995–present
Burials
*John Crosby (died 1476)
Sir John Crosby (died 1476) was a London merchant and alderman, diplomat and Member of Parliament. A House of York, Yorkist during the Wars of the Roses, he was knighted for his service in resisting an attack on London in 1471 by House of Lanc ...
*Robert Knollys (courtier)
Sir Robert Knollys (or Knolles) (died 1521) was an English courtier in the service and favour of Henry VII and Henry VIII.
Biography
Sir Robert was the son of Robert Knollys and Elizabeth Troutbeck, paternal grandson of Sir Richard Knollys and ...
*William Holles
Sir William Holles (or Hollis) (1471?– 20 October 1542) rose from apprenticeship to a mercer to become master warden of his company and Lord Mayor of London in 1539.
Life
He was admitted to the freedom of the Worshipful Company of Mercers on 1 ...
*Richard Williams (alias Cromwell)
Sir Richard Williams ( – 20 October 1544), also known as Sir Richard Cromwell, was a Welsh soldier and courtier in the reign of Henry VIII who knighted him on 2 May 1540. He was a maternal nephew of Thomas Cromwell, profiting from the Dissol ...
*Andrew Judde
Sir Andrew Judde, or Judd (5 September 1492 – 1558) was a 16th-century English merchant and Lord Mayor of London. He was knighted on 15 February 1551.
Biography
He was born in Tonbridge, the third son of John Judde, (d. 1493), gentle ...
*Thomas Gresham
Sir Thomas Gresham the Elder (; c. 151921 November 1579), was an English merchant and financier who acted on behalf of King Edward VI (1547–1553) and Edward's half-sisters, queens Mary I (1553–1558) and Elizabeth I (1558–1603). In 1565 G ...
*Sir Alberico Gentili
Alberico Gentili (14 January 155219 June 1608) was an Italian-English jurist, a tutor of Queen Elizabeth I, and a standing advocate to the Spanish Embassy in London, who served as the Regius professor of civil law at the University of Oxford ...
*Robert Hooke
Robert Hooke FRS (; 18 July 16353 March 1703) was an English polymath active as a scientist, natural philosopher and architect, who is credited to be one of two scientists to discover microorganisms in 1665 using a compound microscope that ...
Notable ministers
Rectors
* 1541 John Weste
* 1571 Thomas
* 1575 John Olivar
* 1586 ? Lewis
* 1592 Nicholas Felton
* 1600 Lewis Hughes
* 1603 Richard Ball, S.T.B.
* 1613 Thomas Downing
* 1618 Thomas Evans
* 1619 William Laurence
* 1621 Joseph Browne, A.M.
* 1635 Richard Maden, S.T.B.
* 1639 Matthias Milward
* 1642 Thomas Edwards
* 1645 Samuel Willis
* 1647 Arthur Barham
* 1663 John Sybbald, A.M
* 1666 Thomas Horton, S.T.P.
* 1674 Edward Pelling, A.M
* 1678 Henry Hesketh, A.M. (nominated Bishop of Killala
The Bishop of Killala () is an episcopal title which takes its name after the village of Killala in County Mayo, Ireland. In the Roman Catholic Church it remains a separate title, but in the Church of Ireland it has been united with other bish ...
, 1689).
* 1695 Thomas Willis, A.M
* 1701 Samson Estwicke. S.T.B
* 1713 William Butler, LL.B. (Prebendary of St. Pauls).
* 1773 John Naish
* 1795 Robert Watts, M.A.
* 1799 James Blenkarne, M.A.
* 1835 Charles Mackenzie, M.A.
* 1847 John Thomas How Le Mesurier, M.A. (Archdeacon of Gibraltar
The archdeacons in the Diocese in Europe are senior clergy of the Church of England Diocese in Europe. They each have responsibility over their own archdeaconry, of which there are currently seven, each of which is composed of one or more deaneries ...
).
* 1849 John Edmund Cox, D.D.
* 1873–1887: John Bathurst Deane
John Bathurst Deane (27 August 1797 – 12 July 1887) was a South African-born English clergyman, schoolmaster, antiquary, and author.
Early life and education
Born at the Cape of Good Hope in 1797, Deane was the second son of Captain Charles M ...
* 1887–1909: John Alfred Lumb Airey
* 1909 Silvanus Taylor Hingston Saunders, M.A.
* 1951–1953: Ronald Goodchild
* 1953–1961: John Miller
* 1961–1998: Dick Lucas
* 1998–present: William Taylor
Curates
* 1954-1958: Gordon Jones
* 1958-1960: Peter Coleman
* 1961-1967: David Macinnes
* 1970-1973: Ian Barclay
* 1973-1978: Robert Howarth
* 1976-1981: Jonathan Fletcher
* 1977-1978: Thomas Oates
* 1978-1982: James Spence
* 1982-1984: Simon Manchester
* 1985-1995: Hugh Palmer
* 1990-1995: Justin Mote
* 1994-1996: Carrie Sandom
* 1994-1998: Richard Coombs
* 1995-1998: William Taylor, now Rector
* 1995-1998: Jonathan Juckes
* 1998-2007: Nigel Beynon
* 2000-2005: Simon Dowdy
* 2002-2005: James de Costobadie
* 2003–present: Charlie Skrine
* 2003-2007: Ben Cooper
* 2004-2011: Mark O'Donoghue
* 2004-2009: Lee Gatiss, now director of the Church Society
Church Society is a conservative, evangelical Anglican organisation and registered charity formed in 1950 by the merger of the Anglican Church Association (founded 1865) and National Church League (founded 1906 by amalgamation of two earlier bodi ...
* 2005–present: Matt Fuller
* 2007-2017: Andrew Sach
Andrew Sach is a contemporary evangelical Christian pastor, speaker and author. He is an ordained Church of England minister and holds a doctorate in neuroscience. He has written several Christian books and is a regular speaker at Word Alive an ...
* 2007-2012: Chris Fishlock
* 2007-2013: Paul Clarke
* 2007-2010: Andrew Towner
* 2009–present: Aneirin Glyn
* 2009-2014: Thomas Nash
* 2010-2017: Jamie Child
* 2016–present: Mickey Mantle
Church plants
St Helen's has been involved in numerous church planting
Church planting is a term referring to the process (mostly in Protestant frameworks) that results in a new local Christian congregation being established. It should be distinguished from church development, where a new service, worship center or ...
initiatives, some within the auspices of the Church of England, some outside of it.
See also
* List of buildings that survived the Great Fire of London
This is a list of buildings that survived the Great Fire of London in 1666 and are still standing.
See also
* Great Fire of London
* List of demolished buildings and structures in London
This list of demolished buildings and structures ...
*
Notes
References
*
External links
Official website
Talk by architect Quinlan Terry about the history of the building and its most recent restoration
St Helen's iOS app
St Helen's Android app
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bishopsgate, Saint Helen
13th-century church buildings in England
Church of England church buildings in the City of London
Evangelicalism in the Church of England
Diocese of London
Grade I listed churches in the City of London
Pre–Great Fire churches in the City of London
Monasteries dissolved under the English Reformation